Berkeley car rentals
Same drop-off
Driver's age: 26-65
Thu 8/6
Noon
Thu 15/6
Noon
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Berkeley car rental information
| Pick-up location | Berkeley |
|---|---|
| Car types | Compact, Economy, Full-size, Intermediate, Intermediate SUV, Luxury, Pick-up truck, Standard, Standard SUV |
| Rental locations | 8 |
| Airport locations | 0 |
| Popular agencies | Hertz, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Avis, Budget |
Cheap car rentals in Berkeley
| Economy | C$ 70/day |
| Compact | C$ 75/day |
| Intermediate | C$ 75/day |
| Standard | C$ 96/day |
| Full-size | C$ 95/day |
| Luxury | C$ 171/day |
| Pick-up truck | C$ 177/day |
| Intermediate SUV | C$ 104/day |
| Standard SUV | C$ 108/day |
Top tips for renting a car in Berkeley
- If you’re using Berkeley car rentals with two or more passengers, then consider using the carpool lanes. Also known as high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes or diamond lanes, these help to ease the flow of traffic while encouraging ride-sharing. In Berkeley and the broader Northern California area, carpool lanes are usually operational – that is, only meant for cars with two or more passengers – from Monday to Friday during peak hours. Often, this is around 6 am to 10 am and 3 pm to 7 pm. Outside of these hours, anyone may use the carpool lanes. Using the lane outside these hours can result in a fine.
- If you want to get the most out of cheap car rentals in Berkeley, you’ll want to keep an eye out for local Berkeley events and US holidays that affect traffic patterns. First, on June 19th, people celebrate Juneteenth with street parades and outdoor activities along Alcatraz Avenue and Adeline Street in South Berkeley from roughly 11 am to 7 pm. On July 4th, people celebrated Independence Day with fireworks displays at Berkeley Marina, so expect extra traffic along University Avenue and Marina Boulevard. Finally, on the second week of September, the Solano Avenue Stroll features parades, events, and closed streets along Solano Avenue in North Berkeley.
- Drivers of cheap car rentals in Berkeley don’t have to worry about tolls within the city of Berkeley itself. However, there are a few tolls to be aware of in neighboring counties and cities. If you plan on heading southwest toward San Francisco, the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge has a toll. Likewise, if you plan on going northwest towards San Rafael, there is the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge tool. If you drive south from there into San Francisco, you’ll need to pay the Golden Gate Bridge toll as well. All tolls are paid electronically, either through a FasTrack device, an online app, or an online website. You’re given five days before or after to pay the toll.
- One of the main reasons to rent a car when visiting Berkeley is that, with one, it is a simple drive to reach the many wonderful nature parks that surround the city. For example, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area offers wonderful views of the bridge, bay, and the city. However, it is a slow process to get there via public transportation, while in a car it just an easy 30-minute drive from central Berkeley.
- Looking to pick up a rental car for your time in Berkeley? If you are flying into San Francisco International Airport, the rental car counters are located in the Rental Car Center. To reach the Rental Car Center from the airport, simply hop onto the AirTrain Blue Line at any of the terminals and get off at the Rental Car Center stop.
- Jaywalking is particularly common in Berkeley and drivers should be on the lookout for pedestrians, particularly when near UC Berkeley. This is partly because of the high density of pedestrians and also because of the many tiny streets in the area. In general, jaywalking isn’t as big of an issue as it is in some other big U.S. cities, but it is still something to look out for.
- Berkeley, like many suburbs in large cities, suffers from daily bouts of rush hour. Typically, drivers can expect rush hour to last from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The evening rush hour can be particularly congested for drivers leaving the downtown area, so it is highly advised to time your driving accordingly. I-80 and the Bay Bridge are two spots to skirt around if you are looking to avoid traffic.
- Book your rental car in Berkeley at least 6 days before your trip in order to get a below-average price
- Standard rental cars in Berkeley are around -18% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about renting a car in Berkeley
Berkeley car rental reviews and directory
Budget
8.7
Very good
30 reviewsCleanliness
8.8
Comfort
9.3
Pick-up/Drop-off
8.6
Value for money
8.6
2 locations in Berkeley
Filters
Reviews
6.4 Okay
Mar. 2020
Cons:
Upon dropping off the car, I was charged a higher amount than was on my original receipt. The receptionists at the dropoff location couldn't adequately explain why. They thought it was some insane reason like I picked up the car 10 minutes before my appointed time of noon on a Thursday...and that changed my rate somehow? I had to call Budget customer service to resolve it. Turns out they upcharged me for a sedan when I had reserved a compact car. I had nothing to do with that. I reserved a compact car and paid for a compact car. I just took whatever the hell car they gave me at the pickup location. The associate on the phone promised to refund me the difference.9.6 Wonderful
Oct. 2019
Pros:
Staff was very friendly and helpful!10.0 Wonderful
Mar. 2019
Pros:
easy and clean carCons:
N/a10.0 Wonderful
Aug. 2018
Pros:
The manager of this location is very friendly and helpful. Together with his colleague they made the pick-up and drop-off processes quite easy and smooth.10.0 Wonderful
Jun. 2018
Pros:
Friendly service.4.0 Mediocre
Apr. 2017
Pros:
easy to get the carCons:
made me buy a second insurance even though i expressed i had already bought a third party one through the booking site did not tell me when the store was closing on the day of my return so i had to pay for an additional dayEnterprise Rent-A-Car
7.5
Good
92 reviewsBest rated
Cleanliness
7.4
Comfort
7.5
Pick-up/Drop-off
7.5
Value for money
7.4
4 locations in Berkeley
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Reviews
10.0 Wonderful
Mar. 2021
Cons:
Nothing10.0 Wonderful
Aug. 2020
Pros:
Super easyCons:
A hybrid2.0 Poor
Jul. 2020
Cons:
I got a text from Enterprise saying that there were no cars available from the location that was closest to me. Even though I reserved it through Kayak stating that the car that I reserved was available. Sucks. I canceled the reservation, went elsewhere.2.0 Poor
Sep. 2019
Cons:
Did not have any vehicles available when I showed up, had to rent a vehicle through Budget, have not issued a refund yet.7.6 Good
Jul. 2019
Pros:
I liked the car and that I could drop it off on SundayCons:
I found some items in the car that were left from the previous person10.0 Wonderful
Jul. 2019
Pros:
Staff was great, friendly, helpful and professional.Hertz
6.8
Okay
56 reviewsCleanliness
7.3
Comfort
7.1
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.3
Value for money
6.8
One location in Berkeley
Filters
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Reviews
10.0 Wonderful
Jan. 2021
Pros:
Yes2.0 Poor
Oct. 2020
Pros:
Nothing. Told me they didn’t haven’t care.Cons:
Not being extremely rude, and announce they have the right to cancel my reservation at Hertz if they don’t have cars even though it said they do online. Multiple other car agencies said they do not have cars available. Hertz said they did and the man at the desk was very rude and unhelpful.2.0 Poor
Aug. 2020
Cons:
Poor poor poor. Everything is poor.4.0 Mediocre
Jul. 2019
Pros:
Absolutely nothing was positive about this experience.Cons:
The Albany Hertz: horribly understaffed with TERRIBLE service. Car rentals usually require some amount of patience, but this place is horrible. The phone rings off the hook, the wait is at least an hour, and they are totally understaffed.2.0 Poor
Mar. 2019
Pros:
NothingCons:
Everything4.0 Mediocre
Nov. 2018
Cons:
I rented a car from Wednesday thru Sunday for a specific amount of money. When I picked up the car I was told they were closed Sunday and I would be charged for an extra day till Monday. They said if I had a problem to take it up with the on line place I rented it with.Avis
6.5
Okay
19 reviewsCleanliness
6.5
Comfort
6.8
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.5
Value for money
6.8
2 locations in Berkeley
Filters
Reviews
10.0 Wonderful
Jun. 2019
Pros:
Friendly service, nice vehicles10.0 Wonderful
Jun. 2018
Pros:
Service at the location was excellent. Vehicle was excellent.6.4 Okay
Apr. 2017
Cons:
We called corporate office to extend reservation, and they said we were all set. We had our doubts because the girl my boyfriend talked to seemed confused. When we called the local drop off location, the next day. they said they had no extension on file and charged us a late fee.10.0 Wonderful
Apr. 2017
Pros:
The staff upon pickup were very good. The car was clean and in good condition.Cons:
Returning was slow as there was only one employee who was staffing the desk, washing cars, and moving cars around the lot. This seems unfair both on the employee and customers waiting.2.0 Poor
Aug. 2016
Cons:
I was not made aware that a credit card was needed for rentals nor that a soft credit report would be pulled.10.0 Wonderful
Feb. 2016
Pros:
Very nice proprietor. Very nice car (upgrade from what I'd reserved). Helpful orienting me to car controls.Cons:
Nothing I didn't like but I wish they didn't close so early on Saturday. Had to pay for an extra day because I couldn't get back from my trip by 1:00 PM and there was no option to leave the car and the keys.Thrifty
No score available yet
One location in Berkeley
197 travellers who rented a car in Berkeley gave the car agency they used an average rating of 7.4
Car rental locations in or near Berkeley
Good to know
Most popular car type | Standard |
|---|
When to book a rental car in Berkeley
Average daily price per month
Rental car prices as pick-up date approaches